Tracks of the year: musicians, DJs and our readers choose their sounds of 2017
Every year we invite musicians, DJs and readers of this blog to send us their five favourite albums or tracks of the year. The selections by our contributors for 2017 are eclectic and cross many genres. See what you think of their choices…
France: the cultural war against the fascist Front National
The results of the French presidential elections are in, with Macron beating the fascist Le Pen. Here we look at the cultural war challenging Marine Le Pen and the FN, and the conditions that have allowed the fascists to flourish
The women who made punk
If I recall right, the first woman punk musician I saw on stage was Gaye Advert (Gaye Black), the Adverts’ bass player. It was sometime in 1977 and they were touring with my favourite band, The Damned.
Folk music and the politics of resistance
The folk music scene has always had a political, radical edge. This is a short, personal survey by Russ Chandler of the level of political engagement in the scene today.
Trump, brass bands, migration and a hijacking: January’s tracks of the month
I was sitting in the library reading Donald Trump’s biography, Trump: The Art of the Deal, the other day. A woman sat down next to me and, out of nowhere, said: “The devil came to earth when Donald Trump won the election.”
Your favourite tracks/albums of 2016
Every year we invite musicians, DJs and readers to send us their five favourite albums or tracks of 2016. In a year that saw so many great musicians pass away, there were a number of brilliant musical recordings. Our readers’ selections are eclectic and cross many genres. I hope you find some new music to explore.